China is funding a 62 mile sea tunnel

Helsinki and the Estonian capital, Tallinn, will be connected by a 62 mile rail tunnel. Fast ferries from three companies connect Helsinki and Tallinn in as little as two hours. Tickets may be cheaper in advance and cheaper if you take the slightly slower 3.5 hour ferry.

Finland and the three Baltic countries have all switched to the Euro.

GDP per capita PPP according to IMF
24 Finland $44,050
39 Lithuania $31,935
40 Estonia $31,473
49 Latvia $27,291

Rail Baltica will connect the four countries with Poland and on to Berlin. Right now it takes 21-24 hours to drive from Helsinki to Berlin and there is no way to do it via train.

Apparently we'd rather have a wall.

A lot of people say Europe is very small, but it is 43 hours to drive from Talinn Estonia to Lisbon which is the same as 41 hours to drive from NYC to Los Angeles. And it is a lot more expensive to drive in Europe.

Human settlement has been in Talinn for 5000 years, but they've had a fort for about 1000 years. Most people who leave go on a jet or on a boat across the Baltic Sea. It will be a big change to be able to take a train to Germany.

Restoration of independence was declared on 20 August 1991. It's not that far back in time that much of the population doesn't worry about a resurgent Russia. I'm sure they would love to see transportation links established to secure their position as part of the EU.

Quote: petroglyph

Apparently we'd rather have a wall.

What does a needed border security wall have to do with this project?

Quote: AZDuffman

What does a needed border security wall have to do with this project?

Seems as if he is claiming the money would be better spent on infrastructure such as a tunnel than a wall
However, how many other governmental expenditures could we say this about as well?
To me, the wall is infrastructure
BUILD THE WALL!

Quote: aceofspades

BUILD THE WALL!

The majority of Americans don't want it.

Quote: aceofspades

Seems as if he is claiming the money would be better spent on infrastructure such as a tunnel than a wall
However, how many other governmental expenditures could we say this about as well?
To me, the wall is infrastructure
BUILD THE WALL!

I just go back to my usual. Pols and the regulars who complain about "Infrastructure" have been doing so as long as I can remember, which is 40 years now that I have been aware of the news. They will never be happy with it.

BUILD THE WALL----NOW!

Quote: AZDuffman

What does a needed border security wall have to do with this project?

China and Russia have out diplomatted the US on every turn. China is using the hundreds of billions of dollars gained from trade with us, to buy favor around the world, without bullets. China is building vast railroads across Africa for trade purposes. This hi speed rail Paco posted will become part of China's "One belt one Road" project which will dominate world trade.

Russia has made our military look like fools in Syria and outboxed us at every turn.

I've said several times that I don't want this wall, mainly because of what it will do to animal migrations and it will be an eyesore for ever more. Remember how well tearing down the Berlin wall worked for E. Germany. I've said, if the object of this wall is to stop illegal immigrants, that could be easily accomplished by jailing a few hundred illegals employers, and not providing entitlements to non citizens. Remove the reason they are storming our border, and they will quit coming. Seize assets of those employers like they do for minor infractions, and the word will get around fast. We wouldn't even need to pay to extradite the 30 million already here. They would leave on their own.

Take that same money and build a hi speed rail just to Panama and watch the commerce explode.

I watched a docu on Libya last night and it showed the contents of some of Ghadaffi's munitions warehouses, what a horrific waste of humanity. Was it "Brave new world" that said the only thing bombs are good for is exploding and wasting capital? We have spent the future of the US on war and now we want to spend billions on this stupid wall. Just more waste. Go into any meat packing plant in the country and you will find where illegals are, it's not a secret. Close that plant and arrest the owners and confiscate the assets, the illegals will migrate back home on their own.

We already know that a large percentage of illegals come in legally and just overstay their visas. The wall will not accomplish what it's supposed to do, any better than windmills will replace nuclear energy. Another boondoggle.

Quote: petroglyph

China and Russia have out diplomatted the US on every turn. China is using the hundreds of billions of dollars gained from trade with us, to buy favor around the world, without bullets. China is building vast railroads across Africa for trade purposes. This hi speed rail Paco posted will become part of China's "One belt one Road" project which will dominate world trade.

Russia has made our military look like fools in Syria and outboxed us at every turn.

I've said several times that I don't want this wall, mainly because of what it will do to animal migrations and it will be an eyesore for ever more. Remember how well tearing down the Berlin wall worked for E. Germany. I've said, if the object of this wall is to stop illegal immigrants, that could be easily accomplished by jailing a few hundred illegals employers, and not providing entitlements to non citizens. Remove the reason they are storming our border, and they will quit coming. Seize assets of those employers like they do for minor infractions, and the word will get around fast. We wouldn't even need to pay to extradite the 30 million already here. They would leave on their own.

China has done what the USA did 100 years ago. Get smaller countries hooked and be their masters. Political pressure at home prevents us from doing this these days.

I don't see the wall doing much against migrations. Comparing it to the Berlin Wall is a major faulty analogy. I am all for cutting off welfare for illegals, as well as no school for their kids. But do that and a liberal group will sue.

Quote: AZDuffman

China has done what the USA did 100 years ago. Get smaller countries hooked and be their masters. Political pressure at home prevents us from doing this these days.

I think that is exactly what we have done in MENA with the vast oil deposits. It is why we are going to take over Venezuela for their oil and minerals. Although morally I disagree with destabilizing those country's so we can dictate which oil majors do the drilling, I realize that I owe a debt of thanks to the ptb that make these plans of world domination work out in my favor. I'm glad there will be gasoline for my grandchildren. It's like we are the modern Rome. It's the way it's always been, and I much prefer to be on the winning side.

Quote:

I don't see the wall doing much against migrations. Comparing it to the Berlin Wall is a major faulty analogy. I am all for cutting off welfare for illegals, as well as no school for their kids. But do that and a liberal group will sue.

It's crazy to me, that those on the left or claim to be progressive do little but get in the way of progress. Society doesn't want to accept that there are winners and losers.

If there has to be a wall, my choice would be to leave open portions of it, say every 5 miles or so for animals to pass through. [within easy sniper distance] That should satisfy most?

What is the wall about, keeping out illegals or terrorists? Because terrorists can just hop on a cartel autonomous sub, or shipping container. All the wall even claims to do is keep out illegal immigrants, not those that would threaten our safety, or at least that's how I interpret it? Really bad people take planes.

Like I said, put a few employers in jail and seize their assets, the illegals will deport themselves. That is also something taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for.